Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I know many people would say Christmas or Easter. I enjoy those holidays too, but I have a special place in my heart for Thanksgiving.

Let me explain why. As a child, Christmas was family time, but I could never take my eyes off the brightly wrapped presents under the tree. That's where my focus was much of the time. At Easter, everywhere I looked there were bunnies, and chicks and eggs. It was all about the candy. It was all my friends could talk about. All I thought about was chocolate.

I know turkeys dominate Thanksgiving, but growing up as a vegetarian, it wasn't part of our Thanksgiving day celebration. My mom made an amazing meal, but it was just an ends to a means. It was all about spending family time together.

Our whole family spends time together in the kitchen. We make a special bread recipe that belonged to my great-grandmother as our dinner rolls, my mom makes a fresh cranberry relish, my dad is toasting pecans in the oven for the salad, and working on a pie crust. He's the only one my mom will trust to make the crust. Now that I'm married, my husband Matt makes the homemade salad dressing and dreams up the ingredients for our harvest salad. I'm left cleaning what ever vegetable my mom wants to accompany her new and exciting vegetarian entree. My girls love to help get the pie ingredients ready for the pie crust grandpa made, and then watch it bake. They are delighted to say "We made the Pie"!

After we sit down at the table, my favorite part of Thanksgiving starts. We each go around the table and say what we're grateful for. It used to be my least favorite part of Thanksgiving as a child, but now that I'm older, I look forward to this time. I gaze around the table at the family and friends gathered and realize what a blessed woman I am. I know when I see those faces that God has been good to me.

As a natural pessimist, I could easily look back on this year and find all the negative things that happened. I could make a long list that include chronic illness, doctors visits and hospitalization. I could look at all the faces around the table and remember only the frustrating times.

Thanksgiving has always been my way of remember my blessings. I look for the good, I think of God's faithfulness in my life, I remember how my family and friends have supported me in every way. I remember all the hugs and giggles with my children. I remember the love and understanding from my husband and parents. I am grateful for everything. Even the struggles. Without the bad times, I wouldn't trust God this much.

This year, if you don't already, find some time to think about how blessed you are no matter your circumstances.